1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of preforming a wall covering for a tub-recess from a single sheet of plastic laminate material, to a method of packaging such a pre-formed wall covering into a relatively shallow rectangular cardboard box, to forming equipment, and to the pre-formed one-piece wall covering product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are several multi-piece wall covering kits for tub recesses on the market today. A common kit comprises three flat panels of a sheet material (e.g. a plastic laminate) having a decorative face. One panel is installed on the side wall of the tub-recess. The other two panels are separately installed on the two end walls of the tub-recess. It is also known to preform from fiberglass all three walls of the tub-recess integrally with a fiberglass bathtub. Howver, prior to my invention, I am not aware of anyone having produced a preformed wall covering for the side and end walls of the tub-recess from a single sheet of plastic laminate material.
The art of bending sheet plastic materials into various shapes is also well known. The following are examples of known methods and/or apparatus on which United States patents have been granted: U.S. Pat. No. 2,420,119, granted May 6, 1947, to Robert M. Boehm and Aaron A. Ladon; U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,850, granted May 8, 1956, to Christian A. Scofield; U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,547, granted Aug. 4, 1959, to Robert J. Clapp, Morton E. Latham and John G. Stansbury; U.S. Pat. No. 3,020,596, granted Feb. 13, 1962, to Robert J. Clapp and John E. Jamison; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,807, granted Aug. 13, 1971 to Edward A. Heavener. These patents should be consulted for the purpose of properly evaluating my invention and putting it into proper perspective with respect to the prior art.
I am also aware that the Formica Corporation of Cincinatti, Ohio has proposed bending its one-sixteenth inch Formica brand laminated plastic about a one and one-half inch diameter tube which is heated to a surface temperature of 375.degree. fahrenheit by a thermostatically controlled internal heater. The company's instructions include an instruction to overform the material by bending the material through a one hundred degree arc, and an instruction to wipe the sanded side of the formed area with water. These steps are outlined by the Formica Corporation in specifications for a post forming procedure.